Gauteng government takes bold steps to strengthen crime fighting interventions

MAKEKASIGREAT©®™ @KASIBC_AFRICA 

ONLINE EDITOR @KASIBC_AFRICA 

Gauteng government takes bold steps to strengthen crime fighting interventions 

The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) reaffirms its commitment to build safer communities following EXCO resolutions on improving safety in Gauteng. 

The provincial government will continue to use integrated crime prevention strategies to enhance law enforcement efforts, visibility and safety of the public. Notably, the EXCO resolutions are imperative in ensuring a unified approach in the fight against crime, corruption, vandalism, and lawlessness. 

To this end, the provincial government has made strides in responding to prevalent safety challenges as highlighted in the 2025 State of the Province Address (SOPA), known as the G13 problems, which are: 

1. Cable theft and vandalism

2. Crime and lawlessness 

3. Mushrooming of informal settlements 

4. Increase in GBVF amongst others.

Gauteng law enforcement officials are hard at work to address these challenges through coordinated operations aimed at ensuring high police visibility, visiting hotspot areas and checking for compliance at liquor outlets and secondhand shops and scrapyards. 

• This work corroborates the provincial government’s efforts to strengthen the fight against crime through collaboration between Law Enforcement Agencies such as the South African Police Service (SAPS), Gauteng Traffic Police (GTP), Metro and municipal Police Departments and Gauteng Traffic Wardens (GTWs) amongst others. 

• Law enforcement agencies have increased their deployment in highcrime areas to ensure that there is timeous response to incidents and intelligence by working with Community Policing Forums (CPFs).  

• Our traffic officers are hard at work to intensify road safety operations and apprehend individuals engaging in irresponsible behaviour, including driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless and negligent driving, and jaywalking. These are the major contributing factors leading road accidents and fatalities. Through public education, and community engagement, our officers aim to reduce the number of fatalities and road accidents as well as influence a culture of responsible road use.

 • Conduct arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless and negligent driving as well as jaywalking. These are the major contributing factors to road fatalities, 

• CCTV cameras have been rolled out across the province, targeting TISH areas to monitor criminal activities in communities and improve response times. As the country gears up to the G20, the provincial government is ready to host this prestigious event, to which the security workstream conducts weekly oversight visits to monitor the progress and that operations are running smoothly to ensure public safety and the safety of our visitors. 

• Furthermore, the installation of CCTV cameras in key venues such as the Nasrec Expo Centre is underway to ensure consistent monitoring of activities in that area. 

• More than 150 critical infrastructures across the province is continuously being monitored because this is the backbone of our social and economic networks. This includes traffic lights, substations, water and sanitation systems, transport nodes, public and private facilities amongst others. 

More than 8600 arrests have been effected across the province in Quarter 2 of the 2025/26 financial years, with charges ranging from damage to infrastructure, drug related arrests, theft, public drinking, driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal mining, common assault, theft and possession of unlicensed firearms amongst others. 

Furthermore, in a comprehensive approach to address substance abuse in communities. Law enforcement agencies are hard at work to arrest drug dealers and dismantle networks that bring instability to communities. The scourge of drug abuse affects everyone; all members of the public are encouraged to report any suspicious behaviour to their nearest police station.

To this end, the Gauteng Provincial Government will be launching a massive Anti-Substance Response Programme on the 27 October 2025 to reach out to communities to work together and assist those who are affected by this scourge, particularly young people. Importantly, government is intensifying law enforcement operations to raid drug dens. All members of society are encouraged to assist, as they better places to identify where these drugs are being sold. 

The province is dealing decisively with the mushrooming of informal settlements, through the assistance of municipalities and various law enforcement agencies, government is taking an approach to act timeously when dismantling informal settlements, especially those that are not formally recognized. 

Leading this initiative is the Priority Committee on land invasion, which consists of various Heads of Departments (HODs) for the Community Safety, Infrastructure Development, Roads and Transport as well as Human Settlements amongst others. This committee will report directly to the ProvJoints following the land invasion workshop held on Tuesday, 14 October 2025. 

 This is an important step to maintain law and order, sustainable development and stop organised criminal syndicates who prey on vulnerable communities by selling land illegally. The Gauteng Traffic Police (GTP) airwing is a vital force in dealing with violent and organised crimes in the province. Notably, coordinated operations involving various role players such as SAPS, Directorate for Priority Investigation (DPCI) and private security companies have yielded positive results in executing intelligence-led operations which led to arrests for dangerous, wanted suspects involved in Cash-In-Transit (CIT) heists, truck and vehicle hijackings, kidnappings and house-breaking. Clarity on the Status of the Gauteng Traffic Wardens The establishment of the Gauteng Traffic Wardens (GTWs) has raised many concerns regarding their legality and mandate. 

The public must be assured that the Department of Community Safety is engaging the relevant stakeholders in finalising the status of Gauteng Traffic Wardens as Peace Officers in terms of Section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 so that they can continue to provide the necessary support for law enforcement agencies in executing their duties. More than 8000 Gauteng Traffic Wardens (GTWs) have been recruited to work with other law enforcement agencies, to intensify police visibility through 24-hour patrols. These operations aim to ensure the safety and protection of both private property and state-owned infrastructure across the province. 

The Gauteng Traffic Wardens (GTWs) actively participate in joint law enforcement operations under the supervision of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Gauteng Traffic Police (GTP), and various Metro Police Departments (MPDs), among others. Through these coordinated efforts, the wardens have played a crucial role in enhancing public safety and maintaining law and order across the province. 

To date, they have assisted in the arrest of suspects involved in serious crimes such as armed robbery, theft, vandalism and damage to state infrastructure, drug dealing, and the possession of unlicensed firearms amongst others.  

In addition, the wardens continue to contribute to operations addressing illegal mining activities and supporting interventions linked to GenderBased Violence and Femicide (GBVF) cases. Their growing presence and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies underscore Gauteng’s commitment to building safer and more secure communities. 

The provincial government continues to implement innovative measures to fight crime in our communities. This is to ensure the livelihood Gauteng residents and their prosperity. Therefore, it is important to note that safety remains a shared responsibility. Members of the public are urged to collaborate with and support law enforcement officers in their efforts to root out criminal elements in our communities. 

While the Gauteng Provincial Government recognizes the progress outlined in strengthening law enforcement efforts, we remain mindful of the complex and dangerous environment in which our officers operate daily. In this regard, the provincial government notes with concern a recent incident involving members of the Gauteng Traffic Wardens (GTWs) while on duty. Five (5) GTWs reported for duty at Germiston SAPS and were deployed on foot patrol for visible policing in Germiston CBD on the 15th of October 2025. During their patrol, a robbery incident occurred at Big O Scrap Metal on Charles Street, Georgetown, where an unknown suspect opened fire on the officers. 

Warden Vinchenzo Lodewyk sustained a gunshot wound to his right leg and was immediately transported to a medical facility for treatment. A case of attempted murder has been opened at Germiston SAPS, and investigations are currently underway. 

The provincial government condemns this senseless act of violence in the strongest possible terms. 

MAKEKASIGREAT©®™ @KASIBC_AFRICA